2017 In Review And What’s Next From Me…

Morning and happy Friday! And The last working Friday of 2017 at that.

What a year 2017 has been for Zest Of Alice! I’d like to take this post to personally thank you. Yes, YOU. Thank you for finding me, thank you for engaging with my platform and most importantly thank you for actually taking time out of your day to read this.

I think some bloggers/influencers often forget that if they didn’t have people like you reading or viewing their content, then they wouldn’t be where they are now. Therefore, I really do want to say thank you so much. It’s really heartwarming reading my traffic stats and duration of visitors on here in Google Analytics. You’re amazing guys! You keep me going!

I’ve had an amazing blogging year and have been faced with so many opportunities I could only have dreamed of working on a year ago. When I look back to last years blog goals post, I was desperate to be more ‘professional’.

My biggest aspiration for Zest Of Alice this year was to pursue fashion. I love fashion, but I’m not a stylist nor do I have a degree in fashion so I can’t really sit here and say I’m a ‘proper’ fashion blogger because I generally don’t discuss the latest fashions and trends, I just wear them. Personally, I think I’ve come on leaps and bounds this year with fashion posts and I am so proud of myself.

Putting myself in front of the camera instead of behind it has done wonders for me. I’m so confident in doing ‘my thing’ now and it’s been a great way to get know other bloggers around the North East. Sarah from Plain Sarah Jayne (she took these photos!) and Danielle from While I’m Young have helped me massively being wonderful photographers and it’s been fantastic getting to know them both this year!

Since I’ve pondered into #fblogging, it’s lead me to collaborate with the likes of PrettyLittleThing AND MissPap, therefore it’s really opened new doors for me this year! Never be afraid of what might happen, push your self because it’s worked out really well for me.

Two goals from last year were focused on social media. One around Twitter which I’ve smashed, and one around Instagram, which unfortunately I haven’t hit. BUT that’s because at the beginning of this year I decided to create a new channel to start a fresh and I think I’ve done alright, I’ve managed to build a following of 1.7k in just under a year!

So what have I learnt about blogging in 2017? To enjoy it. When I first started this blog, I was really stressed about trying to make it amazing. Zest Of Alice is amazing, well, it’s amazing to me. I didn’t tell people about my blog last year and now I tell everyone. It’s not something to be embarrassed about, it’s something to shout about. I’ve learnt a lot about myself as a result of blogging this year too, I’ve grown as a person and a writer.

Who knows what next year will bring for Zest Of Alice, I just hope it’ll be good. I work so hard to create, interesting, relatable and useful content that hopefully, someone might read and I’ll definitely continue to do so in 2018. My blog goals for the coming year include:

1. Build A Presence On Facebook

2017 saw the creation of my Facebook page and I really need to start utilising it more. Facebook is such a great platform to be on for my blog and it’s essentially another marketing tool to promote my blog plus another channel for my followers to keep up to date with. I’d really like to grow a bigger following on Facebook and get a few more likes.

2. Vblogging

I need to just take the plunge. I’ve been really considering Vblogging for such a long time but I’m undecided about whether it’s for me. It’s a confidence thing I know, I just think will people get me? Get my personality? Plus I need to learn how to use video editing software and find out which is the best one. If you know a good free platform for me to use, holla at me, please.

3. Continue To Grow An Instagram Following

I have such a love/hate relationship with Instagram, one minute I’m getting 300 likes and the next I’m getting 60. WTF?! My photography has improved massively this year and that’s reflected on my Instagram stats, plus I finally kind of have a ‘theme’. My Instagram is heading in the right direction so I need to stay on top of my game. I’m not going to put a number on this one because what will be will be, the only way is up.

4. Separate Myself From Blogger Drama

Last year, in this post, I praised the blogging community and how welcomed I’d been made to feel and how many amazing people I’d met and my feelings haven’t changed, I bloody love other bloggers, HOWEVER, I’m so sick of the bitchiness. Grown women, putting each other down? Dare I say bullying too? I’m done with it. I don’t want to be apart of it. Positive vibes only! I will continue to support other bloggers, one blogger who I’ve grown so close to this year and am her biggest fan is Laura from ElleBlonde! She’s like the big sister I’ve never had and when I’ve been put down by other bloggers she’s always been there.

5. Travel More

Travel content has gone down really well you guys on here so this year I’m going to be, hopefully, travelling more and blogging about it more. I’ve loved sharing my trips on here and it’s almost like an album book on here for me to look back on so I’m going to keep doing my travel bug thang’.

26 Comments

You have come so far this year! I can’t get over how amazing your photos are!! Looking forward to going out shooting next year, we must make a date with Sarah after the Christmas craziness is over! Have a good one xx

These sound like some achieveable goals! I grt that sometimes the community can be too “I’m so much better than you” we should support one another and praise achievements, not be in any way pushing it in your face and letting others feels like crap. Not letting the green eyed monster out. Show support with all achievements. Perhaps 2018 everyone will be kinder!

You are such an inspiration! I’d love to get in front of the camera more instead of behind it. It takes a lot of guts, but you do it so well. Love your outfit in this post too! Hope you smash those goals gal xx

Wow you’ve achieved so much you should be so proud of yourself! and honestly, personally I Don’t believe you have to have a fashion degree to be a ‘true’ fashion blogger, some of the best fashion designers don’t have degrees in fashion, so I wouldn’t worry about that! Can’t wait to see how your blog develops & good luck with your goals! x